Murder Street
by heyytalia
Summary: Summary: After the death of his wife because of an unwanted accident, Tony decided to move away with his son from the great big city of New York and instead settled in Oregon. What he didn't expect was the rumors of his neighbors being murderers. What will he do now?
1. Chapter 1

Summary:

After the death of his wife because of an unwanted accident, Tony decided to move away with his son from the great big city of New York and instead settled in Oregon.

What he didn't expect was the rumors of his neighbors being murderers. What will he do now?

The town is peaceful and the people there are very nice and friendly. Nothing to complain about but there's something going on with his neighbors.

* * *

"I'll see you later, dad!"

Tony barely managed to drag his gaze away from the toaster he's tinkering with. He waved at the teen dashing through the door, "Be careful out there, Peter."

At the slam of the door, the man let out a sigh, _'I swear to God, that kid doesn't listen at all.'_

The man dropped his screwdriver and the screws onto the glass table in favor of rubbing his face. They just moved here last week and he already felt like dying with nothing productive to do.

He looked down at their toaster before snorting. This is the fifth time he had done this and Peter already got tired of complaining about it.

He considered getting a job but that will probably be out of boredom rather than needing money. He was an engineer and an architect once so money has never been a problem before.

Tony stood up and walked over to their kitchen to pour himself a new cup of coffee. While drinking his daily liquid, he took his time observing his surroundings before settling on the yellow note stuck on their refrigerator.

He walked over and plucked it away before reading:

 _Hey dad, if it isn't too much to ask, can you get some milk from the local convenient store in town? Thanks! =3_

Tony smirked and shook his fondly. Peter and his precious milk.

He downed his hot coffee as if it's gonna be the last he'll ever drink.

As much as Tony hates doing errands, he needed a distraction and if doing grocery shopping can help him with that, he won't mind it that much.

He placed both the note and mug on the counter then went upstairs to take a shower because it would be a shame if he were to go to the store looking and smelling like a hobo. That would leave a bad impression on him and Peter and that's the last thing they needed.

Tony felt refreshed after the hot shower and he immediately dressed up. He wore a simple plaid shirt and faded jeans, nobody should care about his style, screw fashion.

The man checked himself in the mirror one more time before snatching the keys dangling from behind the front door and walking out of the house.

After locking the door, he turned and stopped to look around the neighborhood. This is the first time he actually checked out the other houses since he doesn't go outside much.

He knew that his chosen home looked somewhat flashy but it's nothing compared to the house in front of him.

Not only that it's the single house in the street that has no garage, it also has a porch that look suspiciously vintage. It would have no doubt looked very beautiful if it weren't for the fact that the paint looked damaged and faded. The lawn had been overrun by tall grasses that may or may not be the same height as your knee.

In other words, the house looked like it came from a horror film.

How can he miss something like this?

Tony sighed. There's no way that anyone's living in there.

He instead went to his garage and started the car. He maneuvered it out then proceeded to drive towards the town.

Tony arrived at the convenient store all awhile pushing the lingering thought of the house from his mind.

He parked at a respectable distance then got out of the car. Just grab some milk then go home.

Once he entered the place, he took note that there were no people present.

The beautiful redhead by the counter gave him a once over before going back to reading. She seemed to be the only one here.

Tony went to where he knew the cold beverages are displayed. He took two cartons of fresh milk and was about to go the counter when the frozen goods caught his attention.

He saw bags of mashed potato bites that Peter loves so much. He'll get some of those as well.

Then he noticed the variety of ice cream inside the freezer and he knew he had to purchase them.

"You can place the the carton of milks on the counter if you're going to buy some more."

Tony was startled by the amused voice of the redhead. He glanced behind him and sure enough, she's there with a smirk adorning her face.

The brunet flushed a nice hue of red, "W-Well I-"

"Alright give it to me." She rolled her eyes playfully at the confused look she received, "Don't get the wrong idea, I'm just really glad that someone actually decided to visit this place."

He gave the other the cartons and she walked back over to the counter, "Hopefully you'll find more and if you're interested, we're selling fruits."

Tony glanced at her back in disbelief, "What convenient store sells fruits?"

She turned her head then winked, "This one apparently."

The brunet found himself laughing, "Unbelievable."

He opened the freezer and gathered at least four bags of mash potato bites. He placed it on the counter first before going back to get three gallons of ice cream; vanilla, chocolate and double dutch.

The female snorted when she saw the gallons, "Huge family?"

Tony smiled and shook his head, "Me and one teenager."

He explored the store some more and found the fruit section. Huh.

He took crap-ton of blueberries and a bunch of apples and oranges. The genius also found the aisle of chips and decided to take a couple of them.

The redhead's smile seemed to grow continuously, "You done?"

"Last one for today."

She nodded while starting to scan the barcodes of his purchases. The fruits were priced differently for obvious reasons.

"So, you're new here?"

Tony took out his wallet, "Yeah."

"Where you from?"

"Manhattan."

She whistled lowly, "I'm assuming it's for a good cost?"

He raised an eyebrow at her and deadpanned, "Wonder how you came up with that deduction, Sherlock."

The redhead laughed, "Just observing. No need to get pissy, Watson."

Tony shook his head before glancing at the amount he needed to pay. He presented three 100 dollar bills.

"Where did you settle down?" She asked as she took the money.

He thought for a while, "I'm sure it's Martinez Street."

Her demeanour immediately changed and he noticed how she paled.

"Please don't tell me you live in 2710 Martinez Street." She sounded so serious and worried.

Tony blinked at her in shock, "That's exactly our address."

She swallowed then remained silent as she packed his purchases.

Maybe she remembered the creepy house in front of theirs.

She finished soon enough and Tony grabbed the plastic bag with the fruits and chips. The other bag was snatched by the redhead.

"Let me help a valued costumer."

Tony nodded and went outside of the store before walking over to his car. He opened his trunk and they placed the groceries inside of it.

He turned to her and smiled, "Thank you."

"Please call me Natasha." The other informed.

"Sure and my name's Tony."

The redhead placed his hands on his shoulders, "You seem like an okay guy and I hope you don't get yourself in trouble."

Natasha sighed, "My advice is to be...friendly."

"I'm working on that, Tash."

She looked like she wanted to say so much more but she smiled at him instead, "You better come back here, Tony."

"Definitely."

He bid his farewell to the female and got inside of his car.

One thing's for sure, Natasha is unsettled by the house across them and he doesn't know if he wanted to know why.

* * *

Tony parked his car inside of his garage and sighed after turning off the engine.

He got out and walked towards the trunk to retrieve his groceries but a blond guy sitting by the porch of the obviously empty house caught his attention.

Tony openly gawked at the man. Where did he come from?

The guy was wearing a neutral expression on his face and Tony felt himself shuddering slightly when he caught the other's eyes. The intensity in his blue eyes made it look like he's trying to see through his soul and Tony finds himself agreeing to that no matter how cliché it sounded.

The brunet took a deep breathe, _'Just be friendly...'_

Tony managed to smile a small and genuine one then waved at the guy from across the street.

The other didn't respond. He didn't even blink.

This confused the genius but he didn't want to make the situation more awkward and just opened the car's trunk. He took the bag with frozen goods inside it first then turned to walk towards his house. Curiosity made Tony glance back across the road but the blond was suddenly gone.

Nope, that's totally not creepy at all.

Tony entered his house and left the plastic bag on the kitchen table before going back to get the last batch of the groceries.

He secured the bag on his left arm then tried not to slam the trunk close. He brought down the door of the garage too.

His heart skipped a beat when he caught sight of the guy from earlier.

The blond still had the same blank look on his face and the intense glint in his eyes but this time he's standing and a huge garden scissors was in his hands.

Tony blinked at that then glanced around the tall grasses adorning the lawn of the other house. He huffed and despite the uneasy feeling that settled in his stomach, the brunet managed to call out, "Hey, if you're going to cut the grasses, you might as well use a lawn mower! That'll be easier, trust me!"

To his surprise, slight confusion replaced the guy's neutral expression as he peered down at the gardening tool he's clutching.

Tony didn't know what might have happened after that because the next thing he knew he's walking over to his door and slamming it close.

After a few seconds, it registered in his mind and the brunet mentally slapped himself. That was definitely not friendly at all.

He wasn't sure why he did that but his body suddenly decided to have a fight or flight moment. He fled obviously. Whether if it's from the way the man stared at him or the huge garden scissors glinting dangerously or the creepy house, he's not sure.

What Tony's sure of though is that there's not only one pair of eyes on him but two.

He shuddered once more, what the heck is wrong with this neighborhood?

Tony glanced at the clock by the door and sighed. It's already 4:30, Peter should be home soon so he should probably start dinner too.

* * *

"I have a new a friend, his name's Ned and he's really awesome, dad!"

Tony snorted, "Are you sure you're calling him awesome because he really is or is it because he likes Star Wars as well?"

"Dad!"

A chuckle left the brunet's mouth, "I'm just kidding. I'm glad you're happy here, Peter."

Out of the two of them, Peter's coping at a steady pace. Usually during dinner, Pepper's the one to listen to their son's stories because he's either busy tinkering or having stacks of paperwork to sign. He wouldn't have here if Peter's live is in danger.

"-are you, dad?"

Tony was brought out of his thoughts, "Hm?"

Peter sighed and shot him a concerned look, "I said how about you? Are you happy here?"

The brunet nodded and lied, "Of course I am."

The teen pursed his lips but didn't say anything.

He chewed on the last piece of mashed potato bite while avoiding his son's knowing gaze.

Peter should be worrying about his own health and studies. He feel so guilty not being able to be there at the hospital with his wife. Pepper died without him saying goodbye or stating how much he loves her. His son shouldn't have been alone as he witnessed how his mother fought for her life and how she took her last breath.

Tony shouldn't have went to that stupid Gala that night. He shouldn't have declined Pepper's offer to come. He shouldn't have left her-

"Hey, dad, hey it's okay." Arms wrapped around the tense brunet, "Shh, calm down."

That's Peter. He's with his son.

Tony let out a shaky sigh and leaned against the hug. He performed the breathing pattern his doctor told him if he ever felt his chest constrict.

"I-I'm," he stammered dryly, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, dad." Peter tightened his hold and choked out, "I forgive you and you know mom did too."

He breathed out in a tight voice, "It's not your fault."

Tony grasped his son's forearms and nodded, "Okay."

They stayed like this for a while. What an ironic situation this is and to think that only a decade ago, Tony was the one holding Peter whenever the kid have a nightmare.

This is too tiring.

"I think I'm okay now, sport." Tony patted the other's forearms, "Thank you for that."

Peter reluctantly removed his arms, "That's good."

The older brunet felt the calm starting to lean towards awkwardness so he tried to stand up, "I'll go wash the dishes-"

"I think you should head to bed, dad." Peter moved around the small table to get the dishes, "I'll handle this."

Tony wanted to protest but he can't deny the fact that his body ached to rest. He'll listen to the kid this one time.

"If you say so." He stood up from his chair, "Just let me use the bathroom."

Peter walked up to his father and left a kiss on his cheek, "Remember that'll be here if you ever want to talk about something."

"You too kid." The genius ruffled his hair, "Goodnight, Pete."

The teen giggled then swatted the hand away, "Goodnight, dad."

Tony left the kitchen and walked up the stairs, "Don't stay up too late, you have school tomorrow."

"Sure thing." He heard the other called out.

He got upstairs then went inside the bathroom to get cleaned up. He didn't bother to shower this time and after tending to his hygiene, he entered his room.

Tony moved the books from his bed to his study table near the window. He'll probably reread some of them tomorrow.

He was about to get in his bed when he suddenly felt chills running down his spine. He glance accusingly at his window but he bit back a yelp when looked outside.

He can see two figures sitting by the porch of the house in front of them. Tony can't see their faces clearly but he somehow knew that their gazes were on him.

The brunet hastily closed the curtains. He doesn't need more things to haunt him, thank you very much.

He got in his bed and tried to sleep off everything about the house.

Hopefully, something good will happen tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you so much **Stark-staffie** for commenting, I really appreciate it and I'll try to update sooner 3

Morning came faster than Tony anticipated and with only 2 hours of sleep, he craved for coffee like his life depended on it.

He did his usual morning routine in the bathroom before going down to start breakfast for both him and Peter.

He fixed the table and placed their plates with a healthy _(he suppose)_ amount of fried eggs and bacon that he's sure his son needs.

His eyes drifted towards their clock and he shook his head. Peter haven't descended yet and he's pretty sure he's going to be late.

As if on cue, rapid footsteps were both heard and felt. Lo and behold, the teen ran down the stairs with his clothes obviously worn haphazardly.

Tony glanced at him once Peter sat down and the boy immediately started devouring his food like his life depended on it.

"Hey, being late is nothing compared to choking so slow down, kid."

Peter swallowed a mouthful before smiling sheepishly at his tge other, "Sorry, dad. It's just that we have a long quiz about the Spanish history today and I can't risk missing even one question."

Tony clicked his tongue and chided, "Excuses, excuses, if you were having a quiz this early in the semester, you should have set up your alarm then."

His son pouted but accepted what his dad told him, "I'll try to remember that."

"Alright then," Tony glanced at his empty plate then back at their clock, "Go brush your teeth."

The teen nodded then dashed to the sink and did his task.

Not a minute had passed and Peter was running through their door but went back to give his dad a tight hug.

"See you later, dad!"

A genuine smile graced his lips at that.

Tony did the dishes then went out to check his mail box and get his daily newspaper.

When he opened the door, he half expected to see the weird blond guy from yesterday once more but was caught off guard by the a different guy trying to start a lawn mower.

He blinked at the sight. So there are two people in the house. He knew he wasn't hallucinating.

The other guy didn't seem to notice his presence so Tony proceeded with opening his box and reaching inside.

The brunet grabbed a handful of letters which obviously came from Rhodey and Happy. They were shocked and devastated by Pepper's death and were worried for him and his son's well being.

Tony sighed, he really miss them. He should probably invite them over some time.

The familiar chills he felt from before returned and the brunet looked up just in time to be pierced by another set of blue eyes.

He expected the blond but he was bewildered when he found a brunet guy instead.

His eyes dropped down to the push lawn mower the guy was messing with. It seems like he's trying to get it to work. He bristled against the fact that he was pulling the string all wrong.

Before Tony can even process what he was doing, he already called out, "That's not how you start a mower, buddy."

The other guy's gaze remained focus on him.

The genius sighed at the sight. This guy is impossible.

"Wait there!" He turned around and went inside of his house then reappeared two minutes later with a tool box in his hands.

Tony felt queasy when he started crossing over to his weird neighbor's house. He also noticed how the other's gaze had hardened and something flashed in his eyes.

The brunet immediately stopped in his tracks with good five steps of distance away from the grassy lawn. He raised his left hand then presented the tool box with the other.

"I just want to help." He drawled out carefully, "It pains me to see that a lawn mower doesn't get the appreciation it needed."

The guy looked slightly hesitant but he stepped away from the cleaning device.

Chills racked his whole being as he stepped a foot on the lawn but this didn't deter his will to help because last time he checked, he's just being friendly.

Tony crouched down beside the rusty mower then noticed the strong copper stench coming from it before he started to inspect it and found out that the string seemed to be stuck on something. He turned it over and blinked.

There were variety of hairs on the blades of the lawn mower. How is that even possible?

He contemplated on whether if he should touch it or not but instead, he looked up at the other with a confused grin, "Kids being a rowdy bunch?"

It was easier to accept his neighbor's silence as a yes.

"I remember back at my home town, I really dreaded Halloween because teenagers tend to do reckless shits and I know that because I've been there once," he shook his head, "They used to throw toilet papers across our house and they also leave wigs all over our lawn. I mean who does that?"

Tony picked up his screw driver then clicked his tongue as he try to cut off the hairs. Oddly enough, they're just the same as the real deal.

"How did you guys end up here?" He muttered under his breath. If he were given a chance, he'll nag the brunet into buying a new one because screw this, the lawn mower had definitely seen better days.

He jumped suddenly when a glinting silver object entered his peripheral vision.

"Here," a deep voice said, "Surely this will be more effective."

Tony's head moved to his right side so fast that he's sure he would have had a whiplash.

Mesmerizing ocean deep blue eyes found his blinking whiskey brown ones.

 _ **Wait**_ _, mesmerizing?_

He unconsciously shook his head then it registered in his mind that this was the same blond from yesterday.

Tony swallowed then hesitantly took the material, "T-Thanks."

The scissors felt cold and it has some kind of distinct smell on it. It smells coppery.

The brunet started cutting out the hair with carefulness in his little snips. They were somewhat stiff which was really odd.

After he managed to cut them off, Tony inspected the blades and found them turning perfectly yet it's also...rusty.

Yeah, that must be it. It just needed some cleaning and oil.

Tony dug into his tool box to retrieve the materials needed. He also failed to notice how his other two companions exchanged a knowing look.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony wiped the sweat on his forehead then sighed in relief. He was finally done and he couldn't help but grin as he gazed at the lawn mower.

It doesn't look brand new but it sure as hell looked a lot better than it did before.

The brunet cleaned the dark brown stains on and around the mower deck and the front deck cover. Polished the _(suspiciously still)_ sharp blades and replaced the oil in the engine.

"There!" Tony stood up and turned to the others with a grin, "I think that should do it. Just don't forget to check the oil every now and then."

Both the blond and the other brunet didn't return the favor of smiling but interest was dancing on their eyes.

The blond one nodded, "Thank you. That was really great of you."

"We wouldn't have done it without your help." The blue-eyed brunet said.

Tony felt his grin soften into a smile, "I'm I could help you guys and I don't we have been introduced properly. My name's Tony, if you ever have problems like this again, you can ask me for help."

The two exchange another knowing look and the brunet tried not to show the confusion on his face.

"I'm Steve," the blond then gestured to his friend, "And he's Bucky."

He nodded and noticed that Steve is no doubt more talkative than Bucky.

Tony bent down then grabbed a crumpled cloth from his tool box and started removing the stains in his hands.

While doing so, he took this to look at the house across from theirs. Well, it definitely looks old for the most part.

It is in dire need of renovation and repainting but overall, it's a fairly large house considering.

A small surprised yelp escaped his lips when he rubbed the cloth a little too much on his index finger. He tore his gaze away at the house to check on his finger.

Blood slowly started seeping out of a cut wound he found on it. Huh, he must have cut himself earlier.

He was startled more however when his wrist was grabbed and his index finger was brought near Bucky's lips.

He then _**sucked**_ on it.

Tony's eyes snapped up to meet the brunet's cool blue ones which were staring at him like he was trying to not only to suck on his finger but to suck his soul out.

This was one of those rare moments where Tony is left dumbfounded by something or rather, someone.

A full body shiver went through him when he felt the wound stinging when a hot tongue licked at it.

 _Jesus Christ._

He wasn't used to these kinds of sensations and made his body tingle but he alarmingly found himself submitting and becoming slightly addicted to it.

 _Shit._

Tony bit his lower lip and that gain attention from both other male as their heavy gazes fell on his mouth.

He felt Bucky's tongue swipe at his wound one more time before he slowly released his finger from his mouth.

The ringing in his ears disappeared and Tony could hear himself panting slightly. Their eyes were still connected yet he couldn't move his away.

 _What was going_ _on?_

He vaguely felt himself being tugged forward and the next thing he knew, he was pressed up against Bucky's muscular chest. The other didn't remove his grip from Tony's wrist but his thumb started caressing it.

He doesn't understand why he wasn't doing anything to get away. It's like his body was compelled to do so.

Another muscular chest pressed againt his back. _Steve_ , his mind supplied.

A hand started caressing his hair before it forced his head to bend back.

 _Oh wow_.

Two sets of blue eyes were staring at him. One was the shade of the sky and the other was the ocean.

Tony felt himself both drowning and falling at the same time.

The hand descended to the back of his neck, where it gave it a squeeze.

The brunet couldn't stop the low keening noise that escaped his lips.

Steve's and Bucky's beautiful, beautiful eyes darkened and dilated.

Tony's mind was just as foggy as before and it didn't even registered in his mind when he started walking towards the house.

 _Does he want to enter the house?_

Steve grabbed his other wrist and brought it to his chapped and cold lips. Bucky was the one who placed an arm around his hips and who was currently leading him towards the door.

 _What was going on?_


	4. Chapter 4

"Dad!"

Tony's mind went back online and the comforting foggy haze he was in dissipated.

He blinked his eyes a couple of times and looked up at the brunet in front of him.

The other still had the cold and blank look on his face but something passed through his eyes.

Tony felt the grip on his hand and the presence behind him disappear and he was too disoriented to think about why he wanted to chase after it.

He turned around to face Steve but he caught sight of his son waving from the other side of the road.

His eyes widened, "Peter..?"

The kid had a confused grin on his face. Tony furrowed his eyebrows at this. Is it afternoon already?

The grip that Bucky had on his waist was removed and it went unnoticed by the other brunet. Peter saw this but chose not to comment on it.

He didn't have the slightest idea why his dad's on the other side of their street but he was more shocked about the fact that the supposedly empty house had occupants.

He remembered telling Ned about their home address and him freaking out.

Like hysterically freaking out.

The teen kept telling Peter to change houses and for him to avoid going out at night. He told him to never, under no major circumstances, go near the house across from theirs.

So Ned's warning, may have or may have not, rubbed on him and that's probably the reason why he hasn't hugged his dad yet.

"There was an emergency at our school so the principal had to cancel all of our afternoon classes!"

Tony nodded, 'It's just noon then.'

He glanced around to look for his tool box then went towards it. After he retrieved it from the ground, he turned around to look at the his other two companion.

Both of their eyes kept drifting from him and Peter and it's quite obvious that they wanted to ask some questions.

"That's um," Tony smiled sheepishly at them, "my son, Peter."

Steve and Bucky exchanged a glance for a moment before the blond smiled softly at him.

"We weren't aware that you already have a wife and son, Tony."

Steve's smile was soft but his eyes and voice were telling a different story. Tony couldn't help but shiver at this.

He smiled ruefully, "Had actually."

Steve paused at this then nodded somewhat solemnly, "I'm sorry."

Tony only turned his smile into a tight grin, "I appreciate that, thanks."

The brunet let out a sigh then gestured towards his house, "I need to start cooking lunch so I guess I'll see you guys around?"

Surprisingly, it was Bucky who answered it with a smirk, "Sure thing, doll."

That nickname was something Tony didn't expect from the brunet.

After the whole weird incident with Steve and Bucky, the brunet hadn't caught sight of them for a week.

Peter didn't made an effort to start up a conversion regarding the position he found his dad between their two aloof neighbors which Tony was grateful for.

Though it made him disappointed and sad not to seen them, much to his confusion, Tony finally had time to fix everything in his garage.

Unfortunately, this was also the week he met his most annoying and infuriating neighbor yet, Justin Hummer.

Tony is aware that he had quite a reputation back at Manhattan and he won't deny that he used this to his advantage a handful of times before.

However, while it has it's ups and benefits, there's always going to be a downside.

Apparently, Justin Hummer's father had some sort of grudge with Howard. He wouldn't have given a single fuck if it was just that but Justin decided that he and Peter should be involved.

That was a huge no for Tony and he was seriously considering punching the guy's face in.

Especially right now.

"So Stark," a voice drawled out, "I heard what happened to your precious wife was no accident."

Tony's grip on the wrench tightened as he tried desperately not to throw it at the other.

Even though he wasn't facing him, he could already imagine the disgusting sneer on his face as he casually leans against the fence that is separating their houses and it makes Tony want to hurl.

"Well, I'm waiting for your answer."

The brunet gritted his teeth and started breathing deeply through his nose as an attempt to calm down.

"That's none of your business, Hummer."

"Oh? Is that guilt talking?" He heard Justin click his tongue, "I would be guilty too for deriving my only son of his mother but then again, you're a Stark and an apple doesn't fall far from its tree."

That triggered something inside of Tony and the next thing he knew, he's moving away from his car with his body shaking in uncontrolled anger. His brown eyes were swirling with fury and frustration as he glared at the other.

"You listen here, you little fucker," he seethed out through his clenched teeth, "I don't give a damn if you torment me to my death but don't you fucking dare bring my family into this."

Justin was unfazed by this and he even had the nerve to snort, "It's always been about your family. Since you're the genius, I bet you can see the pattern here. Your mom dies, your dad changes and you're left alone. Then your wife dies so there's no doubt you'll change too. What of your son then? He'll probably have to deal with another Howard. Poor lad-"

Justin was suddenly forced to duck down as a wrench flew alarmingly close towards his face.

"I'M NOT LIKE HIM!"

Tony was seeing red and then he's blindly pawing at the tool box on the hood of his car so he could grab something to throw.

He wasn't sure if it was a huge screwdriver or not but when he tried to throw it across, someone grabbed it from his hand.

"Dad," Arms wrapped around his torso, "Please stop!"

Tony struggled and tried to break free. He tried to get back at hurting Justin.

The arms tightened and his son's scared voice reached his ears, "Please.."

His mind finally registered that Peter was genuinely scared.

He was suddenly hit with shame and guilt that it overwhelmed him and drove him to the edge.

Tony stopped struggling and dropped the screwdriver on the ground. He forced himself to turn around despite the arms that were holding him.

The brunet saw the unshed tears Peter tried to hide from him and the shaky small smile he gave his dad.

Tony's vision turned blurry and it was then he realized that tears were making their way down his cheeks.

He stifled the sob that almost escaped his lips by burying his face in his son's shoulder.

He's such a failure at everything.

Peter wasted no time hugging the other. He didn't care whether their other neighbors saw and heard the commotion, his dad is distressed and it's making him too.

His heart clenches everytime his dad tried to stifle his sobs and stop his tears. Emotions are hard to combat and he knew his dad was alone against them.

He had to be strong for him.

Peter gritted his teeth when he caught sight of his dad's tormentor peaking from the fences.

He glared at the guy with all the anger and frustration he could muster. He knows that adding fuel to fire won't help their situation but after all the suffering and sacrifices that his dad had to make, he just couldn't help it.

Justin saw this and grinned in triumph. He didn't say anything but he did start darting towards his house.

Peter closed his eyes to remove the stinging in them. His dad managed to stop crying midway Justin's retreat and they both relaxed their stance a little when they heard their damned neighbor's door close shut.

"I'm so sorry," Tony croaked out, "I shouldn't have scared you."

Peter swallowed, "It's alright, dad."

"I won't be like him, I promise.."

The teen had to bite his lip to himself from crying. He cleared his throat and rubbed his dad's back, "You aren't him and you'll never be him."

Tony's lack of answer was both concerning and nauseating.

"Let's...just go back inside, kiddo."

As the duo made their way back to their home, the car and toolbox forgotten, they failed to notice the spectators who watched the whole ordeal.

It took almost four days for Tony to come out of his house.

He didn't feel like dealing with anyone besides his son so he avoided going outside as much as possible.

It was a good thing that he went grocery shopping before since he still needed to provide food for Peter.

The kid was worried sick and would have skipped a whole week of school but Tony couldn't allow that.

He made the kid go to school and assured him that he'll be fine. Peter obviously didn't believed him but since he's such a good kid, he followed his wish.

He also didn't know what happened to his neighbors from across them but he pointedly avoided mentioning it.

The supplies he bought from Natasha's convenient store could only last for so long so he had no choice but to visit it again. Not that he's complaining but he's really just tired.

Tony didn't bother taking a bath, he just washed up a little then changed his clothes to look more decent.

He wasn't finished tinkering his car after his incident but it was still in a good condition so he didn't encounter a single problem with it.

When he entered the convenient store, Tony first noticed how Natasha dashed from the counter to hug him.

He was shocked and confused beyond belief because despite her beauty, Natasha doesn't look like the person to engage in a hug but then again, he misjudged a lot of people before.

Tony patted her back, "Hey there Tash..how are you?"

She pulled back and looked at him straight in the eye, "I thought you were the one missing."

The brunet blinked, "What?"

Natasha clicked her tongue, "Didn't you heard the news? Some guy from your street is missing for four days now."

"Justin Hummer."

Tony froze at the name the new voice had mentioned. He turned towards the counter and found another guy sitting by there with a newspaper in his hands.

"...what?"

The new guy huffed in annoyance, "That's the dude's name who's missing."

Four days. That's how long Tony hid in his house. That's also the last time he saw Hummer.

An unsettling feeling bloomed inside his stomach.

That couldn't just be a untimely coincidence, right?

Tony was startled back into reality when a hand settled on his forehead.

"How about you Tony? Are you okay?"

The brunet smiled thinly at the red-head and nodded, "I've been worse."

Natasha pursed her lips then pulled him towards the counter. Tony got a better glimpse of her new companion.

The guy looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "So you're the one Natasha kept talking about."

Tony didn't know if that was a good or bad thing. He didn't had to think about it for a long time because a donut was suddenly shoved into his hands.

He stared at it in bewilderment before looking at Natasha. The red-head then proceeded to smack the back of the other guy's head.

"What was that for?!"

Natasha crossed her arms then glared at him, "You were planning on pranking him, Clint."

Clint pouted but returned to reading the newspaper.

The red-head sighed, "This idiot's name is Clint Barton."

Tony could only nod. This day's already turning out to be a weird one as seconds continue to pass by.

"That's on the house by the way."

"But-"

"Just let her do this, dude."

And that was the end of that.

Tony gathered the same materials and products from last time but he made sure that he doubled the quantity.

He bid his farewell to Natasha and to a reluctant Clint once more. It'll be a while before he returns to the convenient store.

Throughout the car trip, Tony couldn't remove Hummer's sudden disappearance out of his mind.

Don't get him wrong, he doesn't give a flying fuck about the damn fucker but it's still weird for a coincidence like that to happen.

When Tony arrived at his house, he was shocked by the police cars lingering around.

After he parked his car, he immediately went towards the closest person he saw.

"Excuse me but what's happening?"

The policeman looked at him with a grim expression, "We found him."

The brunet felt his insides churning, "W-Who?"

"Justin Hummer."

That's when Tony noticed the police lines surrounding Hummer's lawn. He trudged towards it and he had to stop himself from hurling then and there.

Yes, they did found him.

Dead and his body hacked up.


	5. Chapter 5

Tony felt like fainting and laughing at the same time.

He wasn't sure if it's because of the nauseating sight or the fact that his annoying neighbor's actually dead.

It's a lot to take in.

The brunet walked back to his house and after entering, he softly locked his door. His mind was too preoccupied at the moment to remember his groceries.

Justin Hammer was dead. He was probably murdered but the reason, it's unclear.

To think that just a few days ago, he wished for the guy to disappear. For him to die in an unpleasant way. To suffer.

And Tony's ashamed and guilty that a part of him felt happy...giddy rather that Justin's finally gone.

That's not normal, is it?

The brunet let out a heavy sigh as he leaned against the door for support. His head felt like cotton and acid started crawling up his clogged throat.

It was the same feeling he felt during that day at the hospital with Pepper.

Except it was accompanied by happiness he can't bring himself to accept or decline.

Peter looked somewhat squeamish when he arrived from school and he had every right to be so. He probably heard of the news.

Tony's just glad his son didn't get to see the gruesome sight himself. The authorities had removed the crime away from the eyes of the civilians when he went to retrieve the groceries he left behind earlier.

The brunet didn't bother cooking for the two of them and just made dinner for Peter. He's not surprised that he couldn't bring himself to consume solid foods after what he saw.

Coffee doesn't even looked as appetizing as it was before which is saying a lot. Tony's usually known to function properly with his daily dose of the caffeine.

As much as he wants to just sleep through the night without eating or drinking anything, Peter's still going to get worried.

He can't keep adding things that will complicate his son's life more. He already had his fair share of the chaos.

"You sure you don't want some dinner?"

Tony blinked at the words and turned his gaze to the other in front of him. The brown eyes that are identical to his were filled with concern that the genius was so sick of seeing.

Tony moved his gaze down on Peter's plate and was both glad and slightly envious that the plate he served him was halfway empty where it was originally filled to the brim with mashed potatoes.

 _Mashed potatoes...hard layer on the outside then soft on the inside...easy to smash...just like how Hammer's face was bashed inside his skull-_

The little amount of coffee he forced himself to drink came back full force from his protesting stomach. Since the bathroom was a few footsteps away, Tony had to settle for the sink instead and there he disposed of the liquid inside of him.

Not without making choked up sounds and tears stinging his eyes which annoyed him when Peter immediately ran after him.

Tony felt the other's hand rubbing soothingly on his back as he continued to heave pathetically in their poor sink.

Fortunately after a few more seconds, the coffee turned into saliva and eventually he managed to stop.

The brunet turned his focus to breathing in oxygen into his system and then calming his rapidly beating heart.

He was getting old for this shit.

"Dad?"

Peter cleared his throat after to cover up for the hitch in his voice.

"I-" Tony coughed out, "I think I'm good Pete, thanks."

He opened the faucet and splashed his face with some water. He glanced down to watch what he heaved pass through the drain.

 _Brown like dirt. Brown like the barks of trees. Brown like the dried blood on Hammer's tattered shirt-_

Tony gagged a bit more before he was able to settle his upset stomach.

The sound of the flowing water hitting the sink was the only thing heard at the moment. Neither of the two dared to disrupt it.

Tony woke up late the next morning and then the thought of his son entered his mind.

He bolted out of his bed faster than when he was late for his class back when he was still in college.

Hygiene be damned. Peter's breakfast and education always come first.

The brunet dashed down the stairs and miraculously managed not to slip and break his neck in the process.

When he reached the dining area, Tony had to stop his tracks in order to stare at the lone plate full of breakfast on the table.

He approached it and found a small note sticking out from under the plate.

 _I let you sleep in cuz you looked like you needed it. Btw, I made breakfast for us, I put effort into this so I hope you like it ;D P.S. I also didn't burned the house down so that's good._

Tony's lip twitched into a tired smile. Leave it to Peter to brighten up his morning after his restlessness last night.

He doesn't feel like eating but for Peter's sake and for his efforts not to go to waste, he'll try to consume as much as he can stomach. He finished half of it before he had to set it aside for lunch.

Tony walked up to his door and reached for the handle before he stopped. He can the tightening of chest and saw how his outstretched hand trembles at the thought of going outside.

It was all too soon.

He breathes in and out a couple of times. He'll eventually had to go out there again one way or another. He can't keep himself locked up.

Tony, however, was bewildered that upon opening the door, he found a small container on the ground that he almost stepped on if he hadn't caught himself.

His eyes drifted from left to right in hopes of finding the person responsible for leaving this.

The brunet crouched down and inspected the container then blinked at it when he found a slice of pie inside.

His eyes widened when he saw the specific wrench that he threw at Justin almost a week ago.

Tony doesn't know how to react at this. He was still emotionally and physically tired after the things that happened to him this month.

He decided to just pick it up and felt uncomfortable holding something that linked him back to the gruesome crime and to his actions.

He felt numb as he walked back inside and the thought of going outside left his mind.

Tony placed the wrench on the living room small table when he passed by it.

Does he have something to do with Hammer's death? Does he know the possible killer?

He doesn't even know anymore.

He bit lip hard as these thoughts plagued his mind. He would've dismissed this as another coincidence if it weren't for the fact that he actually didn't bother to retrieve the wrench.

Once he's at the dining table, Tony decided to transfer the pie on a plate. He took a fork then stared at slice of pastry and contemplated whether he should try it or not.

If this really was from the killer, does that mean the pie is poisoned or something?

There's something odd about the pie too. He couldn't determine the flavor even after slicing a piece of it to look at the inside. The smell was also different, it smells like meat but the pie was cold like it was stored inside a freezer.

Tony stabbed the small piece of pie and brought it inside of his mouth.

This was not a good idea.


End file.
